In today’s episode of Deep Dives, we’re excited to explore an educational program making a significant impact in Boston: the Alexander Twilight Academy. Named after the first African American college graduate in the U.S., this academy is designed to help students from underrepresented backgrounds in Boston achieve their full potential. Ross is joined by Annie Weinberg, the founder and school leader of Twilight Academy, and two of her remarkable students, who share the history and impact of Twili...
Dec 12, 2024•27 min
**We want to hear from you! Please fill out this quick survey to provide feedback about our podcasts** As we head into a new school year, schools and families across the country are grappling with significant challenges, from teacher shortages to enrollment fluctuations and the integration of new technologies. Today, we're focusing on these key issues by taking a close look at the largest school district in the nation: New York City. In today’s episode, Jill and Ross are joined by Dan Weisberg, ...
Aug 22, 2024•35 min
In today’s episode, Jill is joined by Dr. Jill Walsh. She is a sociologist and researcher at Boston University, and specializes in the impact of technology and social media on adolescent development. Dr. Walsh is also the founder of Digital Aged, through which she works with schools and families to give them the tools to help young people navigate the online world. Jill and Dr. Walsh discuss how schools are addressing student relationships with social media and technology and how parents can hel...
Jun 13, 2024•55 min
Standardized testing has long been a cornerstone in educational systems, serving as a tool for measuring student achievement and influencing decisions at every level of schooling. Supporters see standardized tests as essential for maintaining accountability and providing clear metrics for comparison across educational landscapes. However, many have called for moving away from standardized tests, with critics arguing that these tests can reinforce inequality, pressure teachers to "teach to the te...
May 30, 2024•41 min
Last week, Jill and Ross hosted a live podcast recording at the University Club in Boston, MA, with College Uncovered co-hosts Jon Marcus and Kirk Carapezza. Jon is a higher education editor for The Hechinger Report, and Kirk is the managing editor and correspondent for higher education at GBH News. Their podcast, College Uncovered, helps families and students navigate higher education and understand the problems and risks in higher education. In this live recording, Jill and Ross talk to Jon an...
May 16, 2024•52 min
There are over 50,000 teacher vacancies in classrooms across the country, with certain parts of the country seeing large numbers. As the number of individuals enrolled in teacher prep programs has dropped off and more and more teachers are leaving the profession, schools are struggling to keep teachers in the classroom. In today’s episode, Jill and Ross dive into the teaching shortage issue and how to keep teachers in the classroom with two experts: Dr. Tequilla Brownie and Dr. Carole Basile. Dr...
May 02, 2024•39 min
According to the National Center for Bilingual Education, by 2030, over 40% of K-12 students in the US will be native language speakers of a language other than english. As this population continues to grow, education experts say that the needs of these students continue to go unmet, with schools struggling to help students learn English while also facilitating learning in their native language. In today’s episode of “Deep Dives,” Jill and Ross are joined by two experts to explore this topic: Ma...
Apr 18, 2024•27 min
Today's parents and caregivers face the unique challenge of guiding kids through the complexities of social media, trying to ensure a safe and positive experience in the digital landscape. Over the past two decades, social media usage has skyrocketed among kids and teens, and right alongside it, we have seen mental health issues increase at an alarming rate. While legal action against social media companies aims to hold them accountable for their platforms' effects on kids and teens, and researc...
Mar 07, 2024•57 min
There are more than 7 million students with disabilities in the United States, representing a variety of needs and abilities. Schools across the country continue to struggle to meet the needs of students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment possible, and gaps have only grown over the past decade. In today's episode, Jill and Ross are joined by two leading experts to explore this topic: Valerie Williams and Bill Henderson. Valerie Williams serves as the Director of the Office of...
Feb 22, 2024•41 min
Across the country, public schools are seeing big declines in enrollment, with more than one million fewer students enrolled in public schools over just the past four years and the steepest drops in the highest-need districts. With declining birth rates, increasing alternative school options, and the looming cut-off of federal relief funds all creating a perfect storm for public schools, districts are faced with a choice: stay the course, or adapt to the new reality? In today’s episode, Jill and...
Jan 18, 2024•41 min
In Massachusetts, there are 9,000 young people in the foster care system, and 50,000 engaged with the Department of Children and Families. These students face a unique set of challenges, and in today’s episode, Jill and Ross are joined by the leaders of two organizations at the forefront of helping them succeed. Lauren Baker, Former First Lady of Massachusetts, is the Founder and CEO of the Wonderfund, a nonprofit that supports youth engaged with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Fami...
Nov 30, 2023•36 min
Chronic absenteeism rates in every state are skyrocketing – continuing a trend that started before the pandemic and leading the White House to double down on efforts to get kids back in school. In Massachusetts alone, 23% of all students were chronically absent last year – meaning they missed more than 10% of school days – with rates among high schoolers as high as 30%. There are many factors that have led to this increase, from disengagement with content, to new responsibilities at home, to a p...
Nov 09, 2023•46 min
School districts across the country are facing similar challenges, and “Deep Dives” aims to unpack why things are the way they are and what it will take to create change. In each episode, Jill Shah and Ross Wilson bring together national experts for a roundtable discussion about a key issue in our schools - diving deep into root causes and innovative solutions. Today, in the first episode of “Deep Dives,” Jill and Ross are joined by John Deasy, President of the Bezos Family Foundation and a form...
Oct 26, 2023•37 min
“Deep Dives,” a new ongoing podcast series from the Shah Family Foundation, explores the biggest issues impacting America’s schools, bringing together local and national experts to discuss why things are the way they are and what it takes to create change. Listen to the first episode in your podcast feed on Thursday, October 26. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 12, 2023•2 min
Every decision we make is guided by incentives. From financial incentives to social and political incentives – how we are rewarded shapes how we behave and the choices we make. Have you ever thought about why you do what you do, or why decisions get made a certain way? We're digging into these questions in this special three-part podcast series that we’re calling, “What Drives Us?” In the first two episodes of this series, we spoke with academics and education advocates to explore how incentives...
Oct 10, 2023•53 min
Every decision we make is guided by incentives. From financial incentives to social and political incentives – how we are rewarded shapes how we behave and the choices we make. Have you ever thought about why you do what you do, or why decisions get made a certain way? We're digging into these questions in this special three-part podcast series that we’re calling, “What Drives Us?” In this series, we explore how incentives in education and government impact the lives of kids and the adults who s...
Sep 19, 2023•1 hr 5 min
In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic began, the city of Chelsea, Massachusetts faced record economic and food insecurity, with thousands of residents lining up at city-run food distribution centers. To meet the need, the Shah Family Foundation joined city leaders in a simple idea: give people cash and let them spend it however they want. The initiative, known as Chelsea Eats, became the largest Guaranteed Income program in the country, and the results demonstrate what happens when public policy pro...
Sep 05, 2023•21 min
Every decision we make is guided by incentives. From financial incentives to social and political incentives – how we are rewarded shapes how we behave and the choices we make. Have you ever thought about why you do what you do, or why decisions get made a certain way? We're digging into these questions in this special three-part podcast series that we’re calling, “What Drives Us?” Over the next few weeks, we’ll explore how incentives in education and government impact the lives of kids and the ...
Aug 22, 2023•35 min
This year, the CDC’s annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey offered a grim outlook for the wellbeing of young people. Over the last two months, we’ve brought together experts, advocates, and school leaders to better understand the impact of social media on teen mental health in this special five-part podcast series that we’re calling, “Can Teens Survive the Digital World?” In our last episode, we were joined by Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. Today, in the fifth and final episode o...
Jun 27, 2023•26 min
This year, the CDC’s annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey offered a grim outlook for the wellbeing of young people. Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing together experts, advocates, and school leaders to better understand the impact of social media on teen mental health in this special five-part podcast series that we’re calling, “Can Teens Survive the Digital World?” In our last episode, we spoke with clinical psychologist Dr. Jaqueline Nesi about parenting in the social media age. Today, in th...
Jun 13, 2023•47 min
This year, the CDC’s annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey offered a grim outlook for the wellbeing of young people. Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing together experts, advocates, and school leaders to better understand the impact of social media on mental health, discuss how best to support young people in the social media age, and explore the role of regulations and restrictions in this special podcast series that we’re calling, “Can Teens Survive the Digital World?” In our last episode, we ...
May 30, 2023•38 min
This year, the CDC’s annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey offered a grim outlook for the wellbeing of young people. Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing together experts, advocates, and school leaders to better understand the impact of social media on mental health, discuss how best to support young people in the social media age, and explore the role of regulations and restrictions in this special series, “Catalysts for Change: Can Teens Survive the Digital World?” In our first episode, we spok...
May 16, 2023•55 min
This year, the CDC’s annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey offered a grim outlook for the wellbeing of young people. 42% of young people experienced persistent feelings of hopelessness or sadness, and nearly 25% had suicidal thoughts. As these trends have grown over the past decade, many point to the impact of social media, with numerous studies showing a correlation between social media and bullying, loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing together experts, advo...
May 02, 2023•38 min
In today’s episode of “Catalysts for Change,” Jill is joined by Dr. David Hamilton, researcher and author of a number of books on healing, including “How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body” and “Why Woo Woo Works.” Dr. Hamilton’s research was originally inspired by his early work in the pharmaceutical industry, where he was an organic chemist working on heart disease and cancer drugs. He was mesmerized by the placebo effect that occurred during drug trials, and after a few years he decided to switch g...
Apr 18, 2023•50 min
In today’s episode of “Catalysts for Change,” Jill is joined by Dr. Mark Hyman to talk about his new book, “Young Forever.” Dr. Hyman is a functional medicine doctor, a prolific writer on health and wellness, and a vocal advocate for changes in our food system. He is the founder of “Food Fix Campaign,” an organization working hard in Washington, D.C. to help shape policies that are pro-wellness for ourselves and our environment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice...
Mar 28, 2023•41 min
In March 2020, students across the country shifted to an unprecedented learning model as they logged onto their computers to attend classes on Zoom, forcing educators to quickly rethink how to effectively teach students in this new paradigm. As our education institutions worked to shift their models, the longstanding flaws and inequities in our system were put on full display. Now, more than two years later, we’re working to fully understand the impacts of this disruption to student learning. Wh...
Feb 21, 2023•47 min
In March 2020, students across the country shifted to an unprecedented learning model as they logged onto their computers to attend classes on Zoom, forcing educators to quickly rethink how to effectively teach students in this new paradigm. As our education institutions worked to shift their models, the longstanding flaws and inequities in our system were put on full display. Now, more than two years later, we’re grappling to fully understand the impacts of this disruption to student learning. ...
Feb 07, 2023•42 min
In March 2020, students across the country shifted to an unprecedented learning model as they logged onto their computers to attend classes on Zoom, forcing educators to quickly rethink how to effectively teach students in this new paradigm. As our education institutions worked to shift their models, the longstanding flaws and inequities in our system were put on full display. Now, more than two years later, we’re grappling to fully understand the impacts of this disruption to student learning. ...
Jan 24, 2023•41 min
On September 28, for the first time in 50 years, the White House held a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. This year’s conference comes as millions of families across the country struggle to access high-quality calories. In 2021 alone, 13.5 million households were food insecure, and in June of 2022, more than 24 million Americans reported they sometimes or often did not have enough to eat during the week. Over the past few weeks, we’ve spoken with food leaders of different types to und...
Dec 20, 2022•39 min
On September 28, for the first time in 50 years, the White House held a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. This year’s conference comes as millions of families across the country struggle to access high-quality calories. In 2021 alone, 13.5 million households were food insecure, and in June of 2022, more than 24 million Americans reported they sometimes or often did not have enough to eat during the week. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be speaking with food leaders of different types t...
Nov 29, 2022•29 min
